20 Minute Workout Article Modification

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

Hello Coach, hope you are doing okay

First, just read your article about the 20 minute muscle builder and it seem like a great idea. Essentially focus on doing few things extremly well, definetly effective. Now, the main premise of the workout was a minimalist approach, I would like to step the notch a bit higher. What if your weights are limited? How can you make reps harder to produce the desire efect? What modification would you suggest?

Thank you for your time

Respectfully

JP

2

[quote]JP01 wrote:
Hello Coach, hope you are doing okay

First, just read your article about the 20 minute muscle builder and it seem like a great idea. Essentially focus on doing few things extremly well, definetly effective. Now, the main premise of the workout was a minimalist approach, I would like to step the notch a bit higher. What if your weights are limited? How can you make reps harder to produce the desire efect? What modification would you suggest?

Thank you for your time

Respectfully

JP[/quote]

You can change the repetition style if you don’t have much weight.

Here are some examples:

  1. Lower the weight super slowly (but still lift it normally)

  2. Include pauses during the lowering portion (3 pauses each one lasting 2-3 seconds)

  3. Do 1 1/2 reps (double contractions) … in the bench press it means going down to the chest, lifting halfway up, bring it back down, lift it up completely… this is one rep… on the deadlift the double contraction is done from floor to knees. Rowing from the top position, military press from low position to forehead.

  4. Start each set with a 15-20 sec hold… for example on the bench press hold the mid-point of the range of motion for 15-20 sec, then do your reps.

3

Awesome Coach, thanks for taking the time to answer, will implement these strategies!

4

Just a single question…can you switch or alternate the deadlift with squats?

5

@diefighting: Taken from the Spill:

Christian Thibaudeau: @ jt339, normally they might, but not in the scope of this program. The trick with a minimalist approach is to cover all your bases with as few movements as possible. The deadlift hits the traps, mid-back, forearms and lower back in a way that the squat wont. So while the squat can compensate for the lack of lower body stimulation, it is not an exercise that is as complete and wont work as well in a minimalist program.

6

Also this:

Christian Thibaudeau: @ benjig… the purpose of this program is not to stimulate everything as much as possible, but to get the most gains possible when you don’t have a lot of time to train. As such taking the deadlift out some times to make room for the squat isn’t in line with the mentality of the program. If you have more time to train you could add the squat before the bench press but that might defeat the purpose of having a program for those with no time to train :wink: